2000 APPEAL and before

2000 The Terrapin and Turtle Education Centre (TATEC):

As with the 1992 appeal for the RETEC; this year, we have been raising funds for the development of a new Turtle sanctuary in the UK. £7449 has been raised, and plans are in progress for a covered pond development in the West Midlands. It is hoped that this sanctuary will be as successful as the one at Secret World. It will certainly be more diverse. With the banning of the import of the Red Eared Terrain into this country, other USA slider and cooter species are filling the void, along with European species such as Emys orbicularis and Mauremys caspica rivulata. Rehoming of these species by the BCG has increased dramatically, and looks set to continue for some years.

1999 The Sea Turtle appeal:

£6471.50 was raised during the year to finance several conservation projects, covering the themes of Education, Conservation, and Research.

The BCG worked in association with the Galapagos Conservation Trust to raise funds for the construction of a breeding laboratory on Isabela Island to supplement the juvenile raising quarters established at Villamil. Members raised £7500 towards the cost, and work began just in time to meet the volcanic eruption crisis on that island, when a breeding herd of one particular sub-species was assembled at Villamil from threatened wild stock.

1997 The Madagascan RÉ-RÉ

The donations to our 1997 Ré-Ré (Big-headed Side-necked Madagascar freshwater Turtle) Appeal have been flowing in steadily and generously throughout 1997. At mid-October the total stood at £3750 - a magnificent effort from a small charity such as ourselves. Dr Lee Durrell of JWPT reports that construction of the captive breeding ponds at Ampijoroa will begin in March 1998 after the 97/98 rainy season. The first of the captured Ré-Rés will find comfortable, safe homes for breeding there in October 1998.The BCG has funded one of the ponds and a plaque will be put up there to record this in due course.

1996 The Madagascan Flat Tailed Tortoise (Pyxis planicauda)

A little known and studied tortoise found in the madagascan forests came under the BCG's scrutiny this year. More needed to be known about this reptile before its exact survival staus could be determined. As a result, we financed the creation of an air conditioned room at Jersey Zoo where the "Kapidolo" could be kept and bred in captivity in conditions exactly mimicking their complex natural environment. In addition, finances went towards the continued study of them in the wild by JWT. Over £5000 was raised, and captive breeding of this species has begun.

1994/95 The western Australian Swamp Tortoise (Pseudemydura umbrina)

This little sidenecked turtle, almost extinct in the wild, was on the edge of oblivion. The BCG raised over 6000 pounds to fund a comprehensive tracking, research and captive breeding program, in conjunction with Dr G Kutchling (University of Western Australia)

1993 The Ploughshare Tortoise (Geochelone yniphora)

With less than fifty of these large tortoises left in the wild in Madagascar, urgent action was required to recover their numbers. The British Chelonia Group raised the funds to help Jersey Zoo to put a breeding program into place. Over five thousand pounds was raised, and hatchling numbers have more than guaranteed the continued existence of the species.

1992 The Red Eared TerrapinTrachemys scripta elegans

This was a plan to construct and support a sanctuary for unwanted pet terrapins in this country. Over 2500 pounds was raised, and plans went forward for the construction at a selected site. This fell through however, and after many disappointments (nobody wants terrapins), it has only been in 1996 that a venue has been found. The Red Eared Terrapin Centre opened in 1997 at Secret World. Click Here for more information

1990/91 The Seychelles Giant TortoiseGeochelone gigantea

"Operation Curieuse" was a relocation exercise to move a breeding group of giant tortoises to the island of Curieuse.The British Chelonia Group gave financial support (2750 pounds) to London Zoo in this venture.

1989 The SOPTOM sanctuary for Mediterranean tortoises

Funds to the tune of 1230 pounds were raised to provide predator proof hatchling quarters for the French breeding and release program for Hermann's Tortoises.